Hypodermic syringe



Dec. 23, 1958 J. J. MISKEL ETAL HYPODERMIC SYRiNGE Filed Nov. 18, 1957 5 ,ss QT FIG.1.

AT'] QRNEYS United States Patent HYPODERMIC SYRINGE John J. Miskel, Brooklyn, and Kenneth T. Tancredi, Ridgewood, N. Y., assignors to Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 18, 1957, Serial No. $7,194

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-218) This invention relates to a hypodermic syringe incorporating a disposable needle and cartridge assembly, and more particularly relates to a hypodermic syringe of this type which incorporates a body which is also inexpen' sive enough to discard after a single usage.

A highly useful disposable cartridge and needle assembly is described in U. S. Letters Patent 2,737,949. This assembly includes a cartridge having a stopper-ed end disposed adjacent one point of a double-pointed needle. Prior to use, the cartridge and needle assembly are moved longitudinally together to cause the needle to puncture the stopper of the cartridge. In this patent are also described several spring-biased breech loading holders or bodies to be used in conjunction with these cartridge and needle assemblies. The structure of these holders is fairly complicated which makes it economically impractical to discard them after a single usage. This type of holder, therefore, is used over and over again with successive cartridge and needle assemblies.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and sembly. The front end of the cartridge includes-a rel cessed neck and the needle hub is constructed and arranged to include a flange lying adjacent the front end of the cartridge.

An intermediate wall is positioned a sufficient distance from the front wall of the body to provide therebetween a recess for holding and longitudinally confining the en? gaged cartridge and needle assembly after they are moved together to cause the needle to penetrate the cartridge. These walls are cut out to provide slots extending through to the open side of the body which are wide enough to respectively pass the needle hub and the neck as the assembly is loaded into the body. Since the cartridge and needle are locked within the holder against movement in all directions, manipulation of the syringe during insertion, aspiration and discharge is highly facilitated.

The needle cover may be enlarged and stiffened and provided with projections disposed adjacent the needle hub to facilitate handling of the. needle and cartridge both in relative movement towardseach'other while establishing communication between the needle and cartridge prior to loading into the body and also to provide a reliable means for holding the assembly during the loading operation. A space is provided between the end of a stiffened cover and the needle hub flange to prevent interference with the 'slot in the front wall of the holder through which the needle hub passes. This enlarged and stiffened cover may also be constructed and arranged to engage the plunger -of the cartridge after it isremoved ice from the needle to provide the additional function of acting as a convenient plunger actuating rod.

Novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:'

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of one embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. l in another condition of assembly; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through Fig. 2 along the line 55 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is shown a hypodermic syringe 10 as it is assembled prior to use. Syringe 10 includes a disposable cartridge and needle assembly 12 and a holder or body 14. Needle and cartridge assembly 12 incorporates a cartridge 16 containing, for example, a liquid medicinal preparation 18 and a needle unit 20 incorporating a double-pointed needle 22 mounted in a hub 24. Cartridge 16 includes a recessed neck 26 disposed adjacent its front end. Plunger rod 28 is attached to plunger 30 at the rear end of cartridge assembly 16. Holder 14 includes front wall 32 and intermediate wall 34. Finger grips or projections 36 are disposed, for example, at its rear end.

In Figs. 1-3, needle unit 20 and cartridge 16 are shown to pass within them as cartridge and needle assembly 12 I is loaded through the open side 47 of trough-shaped body 14. Slots 44 and 46 are made narrow enough to provide shoulders for restraining longitudinal movement of the cartridge front end 42 and needle hub flange 40 after they have been moved together and loaded within locking 3 recess 49.

in Fig. 4 cartridge and needle assembly 12 is shown in the condition in which it is shipped prior to placement within holder 14. The inner pointed end 38 of needle 22 is disposed within a closed hole 48 in stopper 50. In.

this position, there is no communication. between the" needle and contents 18 of cartridge 16 which maintains these contents uncontaminated for considerable periodsof time prior to use.

Needle cover 52, for example, made of a plastic, such as, polyethylene or polystyrene is mounted upon needle 1 hub 24 and covers the flesh-piercing portion 53 of needle 22 to maintain it sterile and uncontaminated prior to use. Cover 52 includes a longitudinal hole 54 smaller in diameter than outer hole 56 which provides a shoulder 58 engaging end 60 of hub 24 to permit flange 40 to be forced towards front end 42 of cartridge 16. This causes inner point 38 of needle 22 to puncture stopper 50 and place I needle 22 into communication with contents 18 of cartridge 16. End 62 of cover 52 remote from finger grips 36 includes a threaded hole 64, for example, for engag ing threaded stud 66 of plunger 30 in cartridge 16. Cover i 52 is, therefore, aptly described as a combination cover and .plunger actuating rod. This provides an extremely compact structure for packaging and shipping since no} additional space need be provided for a separate plunger;

'rod. Cover 52 is made of material which is stiff enough Patented Dec. 23, 1958' Cartridge stopper5tl is held in place, forexample, by l a metallic ferrule or'cap68" slightly rolled over a portion of neck 26. Needle 22 is sealed tightly within hub 24, for example, by-a rubber sleeve 70 inserted within central hole 72 of; hub 24.

In Fig 5 is shown an assembled hypodermic syringe showing details of the parts as they are assembled prior toland during discharge of the contents through needle 22. Combination needle cover and plunger actuating rod 52- has beenaetuated'sutficiently to drive plunger a short distance into cartridge 16 which expels some of its medicinal contents 18 through end 38 of needle 22 that has penetrated stopper 50. Flange 4t) and the front end 42 of cartridge 16 are maintained in firm engagementwith: each other within locking recess 49 formed between front wall 32 and intermediate wall 34 of body or holder 14.

' Operation Syringe 10 is packed and shipped, for example, in the condition shown in Fig. 4 with the flesh-piercing end 53 of needle 22 protected from contamination by combina tion plunger rod and cover member 52. Prior to use, combination cover and plunger rod 52 is grasped, for

example, in front of projections 36.2md. urged towards.

cartridge assembly 16.to,ca use flange 49 to move towards front end 42 of cartridge 16. This causes inner end 33 of needle 22 to penetrate stopper 50 and pass into communication with contents 18 of cartridge assembly 16. Contacting cartridge front end 42 and needle flange are then inserted together into locking recess 4? as the entirescartridge and needle assembly 12 is loaded through the open side 47 of .holder14. Loading is easily accom plished when; assembled 12 is held by the rigid needle cover 52 because enough space 71 is left between flange 40'vandfinger grip member 36 to allow front wall 32 of holder 14 to pass therebetween. During this loading operation, hub 24 passes. through slot 44 in front wall 32. Neck 26 of cartridge 16 passes through slot 46 in intermediate wall. 34, and rear end 74 of holder 14 is, for example, maintained freewof obstruction to permit cartridge 16 to pass-unimpeded within the trough-shaped body of holder 14.

After the cartridge and needle assembly 12 has been inserted within the trough-shaped body of holder 14- to firmly lock flange 40 and front end 42 of cartridge In in contact with each other, combination cover and plunger rod 52 is withdrawn from needle portion 53 to prepare needle 22 for use and to permit cover element 52.to be attached to stud 66 of plunger 3t). Combinationcover and plungerrod 52 is made of substantially rigid material to facilitate its use in forcing needle 22 through stopper and its use in handling assembly 12 during loading into the holder 14. This structural rigidity. is of further advantage during the use of the member 52 as a plunger rod for administration of the contents 18 of cartridge 16.

A further advantage of locking cartridge front end 42 and contacting flange 40 within recess 49 is the resultant rigidity of the assembled syringe 1t}. Needle 22'is, accordingly; rigidly held within holder 14 which facilitates its insertion, for example, under the skin or intramuscularly. After insertion, the needle is firmly held within holder 14during the slight reverse tugging upon it which occurs during aspiration to determine whether a blood vessel has been penetrated. Similar locking is-providedin the forward direction during injeetion offmedicinal contentsldby pressure exerted on plunger actuating rod'52l' Needle eats, therefore, securely lockedwithinholder 14 against forward or reverse movement.

What is claimed is:

1. Ahypodermic syringe incorporating a disposable cartridge and needle assembly adapted for longitudinal movement together to establish communication therebetween, said syringe comprising a trough-shaped body, said cartridge including a recessed neck disposed adjacent its front end, said needle including a hub having a flange disposed adjacent said front end of said cartridge, said body including a front wall and an intermediate wall disposed a distance apart sufficient to provide arecess for receiving and longitudinally locking said front end of said cartridge and said flange together after they are moved into contact with each other, said front and intermediate walls being cut out to form slots connected with the open side of said trough-shaped body which are wide enough to respectively pass said needle hub and said cartridge neck as said assembly is loaded through said open side of said trough-shaped body, said slots be ing narrow enough to provide shoulders for'restraining longitudinal movement of saidcontacting cartridge front end and needle flange and said cartridge being inserted within said trough-shaped body with said contacting cartridge front end and needle flange disposed within said recess.

2. A disposable cartridge and needle assembly for I use with a hypodermic syringe body including alocking recess in its front end, said cartridge and needle assembly comprising a stopper including a recess in its outer face, one end of a needle being inserted within said recess in said stopper, the neck of said cartridge-adjacent its front end being reduced in diameter to provide a recessed neck, said needle including a hub having a flange disposed a short distance from said front end of said cartridge when said one end of said needle is disposed within said recess in said stopper, the distance from said neck of said cartridge to the remote side of said flange when said flange is moved adjacent said cartridge to cause said one end of said needle to penetrate said stopper being a predetermined distance which is slightly less than the longitudinal distance across said locking recess in said body to permit said front end of said cartridge and the contacting flange to be longitudinally locked within said locking recess when said penetrated cartridge and needle assembly is loaded into said trough-shaped body, a needle cover engaging the front end of said hub and covering the exposed other end of said needle to prevent contamination before usage, and said cover being constructed and arranged to be disposed a short distance from said remote side of said flange to permit said cover to lie clear of the front of said body when said assembly is loaded intosaid locking recess in said body.

3. A cartridge and needle assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said body includes a front wall, said cover includes a gripping projection disposed adjacent said flange, and said gripping projection being spaced from said flange a distance slightly greater than the thickness ofsaid front wall of said body to permit said flange and said hub to be freely inserted Within said locking recess in said body.

4. A cartridge and needle assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said projection and said cover are constructed and arranged to be stiff enough to facilitate handling of said assembly during leading into said body Wall and to act as an actuating rod for said plunger after being removed from said needle.

5'. A hypodermic syringe holder for manipulating a cartridge and needle assembly which are adapted for longitudinal movement together to establish communi cation therebetween and including a recessed neck in the front end .of said cartridge and a flanged. hub which is' narrower than. said recessed neck disposed upon said: needle. adjacent said front end. of said cartridge, said; holder comprising atrough-shaped body including afront: wall, an intermediate wall disposed a predetermineddisv tance from said front wall sufficient to provide a recess for receiving and longitudinally locking said contacting front end of said cartridge and said flange after they are moved together, said front and intermediate walls being cut out to form slots connected with the open side of said trough-shaped body which are wide enough to respectively pass said needle hub and said cartridge neck as said assembly is loaded through said open side, said slots being disposed a predetermined distance apart to provide shoulders for restraining longitudinal movement 10 of said contacting front end of said cartridge and said chored within said slot in said intermediate wall and said needle hub to be anchored in said slot in said front wall.

6. A hypodermic syringe holder as set forth in claim 5 wherein the rear end of said body is maintained unobstructed to facilitate the convenient insertion of said cartridge through said open side of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 766,203 Walsh Aug. 2, 1904 2,691,372 Lores Oct. 12, 1954 2,728,341 Roehr Dec. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 861.539 France Oct. 28, 1940 

